The Break-Up
by KatLover4ever
Summary: Summary: This story takes place two years after the end of A:TLA. Aang and Katara break up and move on to different love interests. Who could they be? Contains Zutara, Kataang, Taang, Maiko, and Sukka.
1. Chapter 1 - The Advice

Aang and Katara were living peacefully at the Southern Air Temple. Aang would sometimes leave Katara to go do his duties, but would come back within a week. The Waterbending master loved having Aang around, but sometimes they would get into little fights about silly things, and break up, only to get back together within a month.

"I love you, Katara." he would say when they saw each other again. "I don't /ever/ want to lose you."

Katara believed he was telling her the truth, and they would kiss each other in reunion.

"Katara?" Aang said, interrupting her thoughts. She blinked and looked up at the nomad. He was looking down at her with a questioning expression, awaiting an answer.

"Sorry. What did you say?" Katara asked.

"I just said that I hope we have beautiful children, once we're married and all." he repeated.

Katara didn't reply. Instead she looked away from his gray gaze, not wanting to show her concern about their relationship. She stood up and began to walk away.

"Katara? Is something wrong?" the Avatar asked.

"No. Everything's fine." she lied. "I just need a little time to myself right now." Before Aang could say anymore, she ran into the temple up to her room. Ever since the kiss at the Jasmine Dragon, their relationship had begun to falter, and now Katara was unsure if they were meant to be together.

Sitting on her bed, she began to cry. Everything was so confusing with the young airbender. She remembered the first time they kissed - the time in the cave of two lovers. It had seemed great at the time, but as time progressed, it didn't seem as great. Then there was the time when Aang had kissed her at Ember Island after she had told him she was confused...But that was different. She had been confused then because the hundred-year war was still going on. Now, she was just confused about their relationship. She walked over to the closet and grabbed all her clothes out of it, packing them into a suitcase.

"Katara? What are you doing?" Aang asked, surprising her for a moment.

"I'm packing up for a trip to the Fire Nation." she replied without looking up. "I want you to come with me as well."

"Really?" Aang asked, astonished. Katara could understand why he was so surprised. She usually didn't leave with him, unless they were traveling to work on fixing the world. She finally found the courage to look at him.

"Yes, really." Katara replied. "Come on. I want to leave before sunset tonight." Aang smiled, obviously thinking it was for a good thing, and then ran off to pack his own belongings. The young waterbender watched him leave. It had been two years since she first found him in the iceberg. Back then, he had been an innocent, fun, and harmless boy. She had watched him grow up so much. He wasn't the goofy kid anymore. Instead, he was a mature young man. Aunt Wu had said that she would marry a powerful bender. Later that same day, Sokka had referred to Aang as a "powerful bender", which got Katara thinking that he was the one Aunt Wu was referring to. For so long, she still believed that. But now, she wasn't so sure. Was Aunt Wu referring to herself, or, as Sokka believed, just making something up? She shook the last part off. Sokka was wrong! Aunt Wu had been right about everything so far. Why would that change now?

She finished putting her belongings in the bag and walked out of the room, down to the courtyard where Appa and Momo were sitting peacefully. Katara pet Momo's head before walking over to Appa and climbing up his tail. Aang wasn't too far behind, carrying his bag of clothes. He airbent himself up onto the bison's head, threw his bag onto the saddle, then sat down and grabbed hold of the reins.

"Yip yip!" he called. The flying bison flapped his tail and jumped, propelling himself into the air. Katara watched the young airbender control his pet, and realized that, if the two broke up, this would be the last time she would be able to ride alone with Aang. She began to remember all their journeys together - the times when danger lurked around every corner, and there was so much territory to discover. And, in the process, she had become a master waterbender. She soon fell asleep remembering all the good time she had had with her brother and boyfriend.

When she woke up, Aang was sleeping, still on Appa's head. The sun was just beginning to rise, and they were nearing the palace now. Her main reason to come here was to ask Iroh for some advice. He always seemed to give advice, or at least that's what Toph and Aang had told her. The only time Iroh had talked to her, besides at the Catacombs, was before her battle with Azula during Sozin's Comet, when he talked to the whole group, except for Aang. They had never really talked after that, except when Katara was ordering tea from the Jasmine Dragon.

Aang began to stir and opened his eyes. He turned around to see Katara was awake, and smiled at her. "Good morning, Katara!" he called enthusiastically. Katara felt a pit in her stomach as she thought about not being able to hear him say that in the future. Was this the right decision? Should she really ask for Iroh's advice? She took a deep breath and exhaled, clearing her mind.

"Good morning, Aang." she replied, but not with as much enthusiasm as the Avatar.

"Katara, something's on your mind. I can tell." he replied. Katara realized her reluctant reply must have made him suspicious. "What is it?"

"I-It's nothing." Katara replied, but Aang still looked at her suspiciously, not buying her reply. "Fine. Since you're so intent on learning the truth, it's our relationship. I don't know if we're doing the right thing here or not. Ever since the kiss at the Jasmine Dragon, things have been complicated."

"But Katara…" Aang began.

"No, Aang. I'm going to the Fire Nation to find out if I should continue our relationship, or start a new one. And there's nothing you can do about it." Katara stated firmly. Aang's eyes were wide with hurt. Katara never liked seeing him like that, but there was no way to comfort him. Instead, she just looked away. When she did, she realized they were just passing over the Fire Nation palace. "We're here. Take Appa down to the palace." she instructed. The airbender nodded and walked back over to Appa's head. He grabbed the reins and pulled them back, but with a curve. Katara watched as they got closer to her destination. Once Appa landed, Katara grabbed her bags, slid down Appa's tail, and ran up to the palace doors. Taking a deep breath, she lifted her hand up and knocked.

"Ah, Miss Katara. We received your letter from a few days ago. Please, come in. Fire Lord Zuko is up in his room." a servant said. Katara bowed her head politely, walking into the big building. She had been here before a few times, and knew exactly where Zuko's room was. She quickly but fashionably walked up the staircase to his room. Once she reached it, she knocked.

"Who is it?" Zuko asked.

"It's me - Katara." the Water Tribe girl replied. Zuko opened the door.

"Welcome, Katara. I have been expecting you." the Fire Lord said. Katara nodded and walked over to his couch.

"Is your uncle here?" she asked.

"Yes. He's having some tea in the kitchen. I'll go get him, if you'd like." Zuko offered.

"Yes, please." Katara answered. She watched as Zuko walked out of the room. Once he was gone, she began to think about her relationship with Aang again. She thought back to the time when he kissed her before flying off to face the Fire Lord, and then the kiss at Ember Island during the play. The first one had taken her by surprise, but she had enjoyed it, and felt sad when he flew away. The second one, however, wasn't as thrilling, because she was confused. Then she thought of Zuko and how he had changed so much in the past couple years. In the play at Ember Island, Katara's actress had said that she always had Air Nomads eye for Zuko. Was that actually true?

Before she could answer her last question, Zuko had come back with his uncle.

"Miss Katara, what brings you here today?" he asked.

"I need you talk to you about something important." She looked behind Iroh to see Zuko was still standing there. "Can I please just have a moment alone with your uncle?" she asked.

"Of course." Zuko replied, before walking out of the room and closing the doors.

"Now, tell me, what's on your mind?" Iroh asked.

"Well, during the War, I found him in an iceberg, as you know. From then on, our relationship began to grow, even to the point of becoming boyfriend and girlfriend. But for the past eleven months, it's kind of dwindled. We've broke up a few times, some of them lasting as much as a month. Katara explained." Katara explained. "I just am so confused of what I should do."

"Love can sometimes be hard, I'll admit." Iroh replied. "In fact, Zuko and Mai just recently broke up. I don't know why exactly, but Zuko was heartbroken when she never came back. It's been over two weeks, and usually they only last a few days. I remember my teenage years. I went through much, and had my heart broken a few times, until I met Amri. To keep my story short, I'll just give you my advice: follow your heart, and make your own choices. Now, how long were you planning on staying here?" Katara shook her head, unsure of what she would do. "I see. Well, while you're deciding on your future, how about staying here for a night?"

"I'd love to. Thank you, Iroh!" Katara replied.

"You're welcome. It's always a pleasure to help people." Iroh answered. Katara walked out of the room, nearly running into Zuko.

"Sorry, Zuko." she apologized. Zuko smiled slightly.

"Did my uncle help you at all?" he asked.

"Yes, he did." Katara replied.

"I said that, until she solves her problems, she could stay with us for tonight." Iroh explained, coming out of the room. Zuko nodded.

"You may stay here as long as you like." Zuko said, before walking away. Before he had turned, however, there was an unusual gleam in his eyes. Katara couldn't figure out what it was, but she wanted to find out.

"Did you see that?" she asked Iroh.

"What? The gleam in his eyes? Yes, but that's the first time I've ever seen it, especially in him." the tea maker replied.

Katara watched him leave, his walk so elegant, his topknot so handsomely done….She shook her head, clearing away the thoughts. But no matter how hard she tried, she couldn't stop thinking about him. Was he the one she was meant to be with?

**Well, that's the first chapter for you! I hope you enjoy it! Please read, rate, and review! I'd love to hear your thoughts. : ) Second chapter coming soon. Stay tuned!**


	2. Chapter 2 - Making the Decision

Iroh showed Katara to her guest room.

"Dinner will be in an hour. His expectations are for guests to wear something red to represent the Fire Nation." Iroh said. "And he doesn't like late guests, so I advise you don't be late."

"Thank you, Iroh." Katara said, bowing. "For everything."

Iroh smiled and respectfully bowed back before closing the door. Katara looked around the room. She saw a closet, a queen bed, and a giant window with a balcony. _This is a guest room? _She thought. She walked to the closet and opened it up to find it was a walk-in one. She took a few steps in, looking for the perfect outfit for dinner tonight. She found a red dress and grabbed it. Taking her normal clothes off, she realized one thing: her mother's necklace. She couldn't just take it off and not wear it, but it couldn't be seen either. She remembered the first time she had had a dinner party with Zuko. Everyone in "Team Avatar" was celebrating Aang's victory at ending the War, and Katara had decided to keep her mother's necklace on. While at the dinner table, a servant had noticed it and asked one of the guards to take her out. Only Sokka and Aang's interference had kept her from being thrown out. Katara didn't want that to happen again. So, she walked back into the closet to see if she could find something that would help. She noticed a light turtleneck jacket, and smiled. It would hide her necklace, but still allow her to secretly wear it. Grabbing the jacket, she ran back over to her bed where she had put the dress, and put them all on. Once she was done, she turned to check the time. She had ten minutes left. Just enough time to get down to the room before she was late. She quickly put her hair into a bun, and then walked downstairs. When she reached the dining room, she heard Aang and Zuko laughing. A servant escorted her inside.

"Miss Katara of the Southern Water Tribe has arrived." he said, bowing respectfully. Katara walked in and looked around. The room was bigger than she remembered, but that may have been because the last time she was here, almost every honorable person was here.

"Thank you, Goshi." Zuko said, signaling for his servant to leave. "Welcome, Katara. You can sit on the right side of me, if you'd like."

Katara smiled and nodded, walking over to the chair next to him. Across from her was Aang, in his Fire Nation disguise they had used before the eclipse over a year ago. So many memories of that time came flooding back to Katara: the dance the two had shared only a couple days after they began to roam around the Fire Nation in their disguises; the day Aang had found out she was the Painted Lady, and helped her destroy a Fire Nation factory; the day we had almost been destroyed by an assassin, and the two of us protectively hugged each other. There were so many memories they had from during the War, but now there weren't as many.

"So, how's your relationship with Katara going?" Zuko asked Aang. Katara quickly snapped out of her thoughts and looked up at Aang. She could see sadness and hurt in his eyes. But Katara couldn't feel anything more than a friendship to grow with them. They looked into each other's eyes for a long time, not sure how to answer Zuko. Before either of them could reply, Zuko spoke. "I see. I just went through the same thing with Mai not too long ago."

The three sat in silence for a few moments. Katara took the time to think about something that had been in her mind for awhile: her relationship with Zuko. Ever since she laid eyes on him, she had despised him for so long. He had threatened her tribe, had stolen the Avatar, and chased after them for so long. He had even bribed her with her mother's necklace once in exchange for Aang. She had rejected the offer, and got away, but still not having her necklace. Aang had returned it to her a few days after they met up with Bato, saying Zuko had told him to give it to her. Katara had played along, even though she knew the banished prince would never do that. Then there was the time at the North Pole, when they had battled for Aang. He had won, taking the Avatar away. When she, Sokka, and Yue went searching for Aang, she had a quick battle, saving Aang. But the Avatar, being the kind person he was, wouldn't just leave him there, so he was saved from death. Was there a specific reason for that, besides the obvious? In the crystal catacombs at Ba Sing Se, The two had had a heart-to-heart conversation, leading to Katara almost removing his scar. But then Zuko had betrayed them and attacked Aang and her. Katara hated him for awhile after that. She hated him so much, that, when he joined the group to teach Aang firebending, she wouldn't let him out of her sight, even threatening to kill him if he hurt the Avatar. But after the prince had helped her look for the man that killed her mother, their relationship was much better. But the main, and most recent, moment they had during the War was during Sozin's Comet. He had asked Katara to come with him and defeat Azula. She had gladly accepted, and traveled with him to the palace. The two siblings fought an Agni Kai, and when Zuko asked her about lightning, Katara had run out to help just in case. But Azula had seen her and shot the lightning directly at her. Zuko had sacrificed his life for her, jumping right in front of the lightning. When Katara had finished battling Azula, she had run over to Zuko to heal him. When he thanked her, tears of relief had come out of her cheeks, happy to see him alive.

"Dinner is served." the chef said, interrupting Katara's thoughts. She looked at Zuko. His good side was facing her, and his hair was up in a topknot, with the Fire Lord piece in it. He was so handsome, and those amber eyes were just gorgeous. She turned her gaze to Aang, who was picking vegetarian foods at the table. Seeing his sad face reminded her of how he looked after their kiss at Ember Island. She felt so sorry that he had to look like that, and it was all her fault. But he just wasn't the one for her. Their relationship just wasn't working out. The three ate dinner in silence, the only sounds being the sounds of utensils scraping against plates. After dinner, Katara excused herself from the table and ran up to her room. But the image of Zuko's face couldn't leave her mind. He was so handsome. Why did she have to choose between the two boys? Life was always full of tough choices. Katara knew that. She let her hair fall out of the bun as she took it out, and changed back into her Water Tribe clothing. She laid down in bed and soon fell asleep.

"Katara." a voiced called. Katara opened her eyes to see she was in an unfamiliar place.

"Hello?" Katara called. "Who's there?"

"Katara, turn around slowly." the voice said. Katara obeyed. When she fully turned, she realized who was talking to her. Her eyes widened and filled with tears.

"Mom!" she exclaimed. The woman smiled at her daughter, and Katara walked over to her. "Oh, Mom! I thought I'd never see you again!"

"Sweetie, I'm always with you, no matter what." her mother responded. "But I didn't call you here just to see me. There's something troubling you. Would you like to tell be about it?"

Katara nodded. "I met Aang almost two years ago trapped in an iceberg. When he first opened his eyes, I thought it was love at first sight. Our relationship grew during our journeys, and I thought we were meant for each other. But ever since the War ended, it feels like there's no bond between us anymore. I don't know what to do."

"Yes.. Love is hard. I remember this one man I thought I would fall in love with. His name was Aliki. We would get into so much trouble together. But then, as we got older, we started splitting apart. He was a waterbender, and when he heard about the Fire Nation taking waterbenders away, he left to the Northern Water Tribe. I never saw him again. Then I met your father. He was a stubborn one, but I soon fell in love with him, and in a few short years, I had you and Sokka." Kya explained. "My advice is that you follow your heart. I know there's another boy you have your eye on. Maybe he'll be the one for you." After she finished the last sentence, she began to disappear.

"No! Mom, don't leave me!" Katara cried, but it was too late. When she opened her eyes again, she was back in her room. _Follow your heart. _Her mother's advice kept echoing in Katara's mind. She knew what she had to do now. Quietly, so that she didn't wake anyone, she walked out of her room and down to Aang's room. He always had the same room whenever they came here. She knocked on the door, and within a few moments, it was opened. A tired Aang looked up at Katara.

"Katara? What's going on?" He asked.

"I need to talk to you." Katara said.

**Here's the second chapter! Hope you enjoy it! I think this is a fastest time period that I spent writing the next chapter for a story. Only a couple days. But anyways, read, review, follow, etc., and stay tuned for Chapter 3!**


	3. Chapter 3 - Aang Finds Out

**Disclaimer: I do NOT own Avatar: The Last Airbender, or any of the characters in it. Bryke does. **

Aang looked up at Katara. Her face didn't hide any of her emotions: this meeting wasn't going to end well. He nodded and motioned for her to come into the room. They walked out onto the balcony, the night breeze feeling cool after all the tension today.

"What is it, Katara?" Aang asked, gazing at the waterbender. But she didn't look at him. Instead she was looking down at the ground below.

"Aang, I've been thinking about this whole situation between you and me, and I think we should break up - and this time for good." she said, struggling to look into his eyes. Aang felt tears fill in his eyes. "I'm sorry it has to end this way. I really did enjoy every moment with you while we were stopping Ozai and the Fire Nation, but I can't handle this anymore."

Aang quickly ran up to Katara and gave her a good-bye kiss on the lips. As he kissed her, he couldn't help but remember everything they had been through. Tears began running down the side of his face as he broke the kiss. He saw Katara looking away, regret showing in her face.

"I trust your decision." Aang said at last. "If you think this is the right thing to do, then I'll leave bright and early tomorrow morning."

Katara didn't reply. Instead, she just looked at him, gave a slight smile, and walked away.

Aang sighed. He couldn't believe that their relationship was over! He thought they would be together forever, but now there was no future between them. He walked back into the room and began to pack. There would be no point in trying to sleep right now. He wouldn't be able to - not without thinking about her. He didn't have much to pack - just his Fire Nation outfit and shaving tool. When he picked up his uniform, memories of the dance came into his mind. He smiled at the memory, then frowned, knowing well that it would never happen again.

Aang finished packing, put his suitcase next to the door, and sat down on the bed. Where would he go now? Without Katara, what would he do?

As the sun came up from the horizon, Aang still didn't know where he would go. He decided to just travel and see where the wind took him. Trying not to make a sound, he opened his door, picked up his bag, and left the room. He walked down the stairs, and to the main doors, but before he could open them, a voice came from behind.

"Where are you going so early, Aang?" the voice asked. It was Zuko.

"Uh, well, you know. I'm the Avatar, and I still have some repairs to make." Aang said. At least that wasn't a total lie: there still was a lot of things to fix after the War's damage.

"Without Katara?" Zuko asked. "That's not like you. You do almost everything with her."

_Yes, I did. But not anymore. _Aang didn't speak his thoughts - he didn't want Zuko to be worried. Unfortunately, his delayed response gave everything away.

"Oh. I see." the Fire Lord said. "Well, good luck on your travels." Aang nodded, thankful that Zuko didn't prompt him to say more, then walked out of the palace. He got out his bison whistle, blew in it, then flew up into the air on his glider. As he took one last glance down at the palace, he saw Katara walking up to the door area. He frowned, and quickly looked up into the air. Appa came around a few minutes later. Aang dropped his bag onto the bison's saddle, closed his glider, and landed on Appa's head, taking the reins. He decided to go to Gaoling and see how Toph was doing.

**A/N: I finally finished the third chapter! Sorry for the long wait. It's over half the size of the other two. I hate writing - or even seeing - any of the characters being angry/sad. The next one should be a bit longer. :) This is the main reason why I put the two characters sections as Aang & Katara, because I was going to go between the two, not to be rude to Kataangers. Sorry about that! I hope you enjoyed the chapter, and I will try having the next chapter up soon - no promises though.**


	4. Chapter 4 - A Walk

Katara watched Aang fly away. Before a tear could stream down her face, Zuko turned to face her.

"So, you and Aang broke up?" he asked. Katara looked up at him in shock.

"How did you know?" she asked.

"Well, for one, Aang used to never go anywhere without you. And when I brought this up with him, he couldn't answer, so I knew something must have went down between you two." Zuko explained. "You don't have to talk about it if you don't want to."

Katara smiled at the Fire Lord. "Thank you, Zuko. Would it be okay with you if I stayed here for another week?"

"Of course. It's always a pleasure to have company." The Fire Lord replied. "We'll be having breakfast soon."

"Thanks, Zuko," Katara said. He nodded and walked away. Katara stood in front of the door for a few minutes, then bowed her head, closed the door, and went up to her room tob change. She decided to wear the Fire Nation outfit she had worn when the group had been hiding in the Fire Nation before the invasion. She quickly took out her bun, and put it in a top knot. She redid her hair loopies so they were longer, straighter, and thicker. She grabbed her red neckelace, took off her mother's, and put the other one on. Once she was all done getting dressed, she walked downstairs to eat breakfast.

"Good morning, Katara," a servant greeted. "I hope you slept well."

"Yes, thank you." She thought back to the night before. After telling Aang, it had taken a long time to fall asleep, knowing he would be leaving only a few hours later. But after the troubling thoughts were pushed to the back of her mind, she was able to sleep, and only the slight steps of Aang lwaving woke her up.

When Katara reached the dining room, she was greeted by some servants who opened the grand doors. Zuko was in his normal spot, and Iroh was sitting next to him. They were engaged in some conversation, but quickly broke it up when Katara entered.

"Hello, Katara!" The general said. "Zuko said you'll be spending a few more days with us. Make yourself feel at home."

"Thank you, General Iroh," Katara said.

"Katara, would you like to do something today?" Zuko asked. "Such as go shopping, or for a walk, ot something?"

Katara looked at the firebender. Did she want to do something today?

"A walk would be nice," Katara replied. "Do you mind if I do it after breakfast?"

"Not at all," Zuko said. "I could send a servant with you if you'd like. Or i could personally go with you."

"You would do that? For me?" Katara asked.

"Of course. I mean, just because the War's over doesn'tmean that there aren't still some people out there that don't like the other nations," Zuko pointed out. Katara nodded in understanding. "As long as we're back by 3, there shouldn't be a problem."

"Okay," Katara smiled. A waiter brought in the food only a few moments later. The three benders casually ate their meal. Afterwards, Zuko excused himself from the table to go change. Katara walked up to her room to put her shoes on. She walked back downstairs and waited for her escort to go on a walk with her. Not much time passed after Katara reached the door that Zuko came around, wearing his undergarment, and having his hair down. Katara noticed the parched spot in his shirt on his chest - the same spot where he had been shot with Azula's lightning. Though it was still darker than the rest of the shirt, it wasn't torn like it had been when he got shot - when she had healed the scar the best she could. She figured Mai had probably mended it back together.

"Are you ready?" he asked. Katara shook her head slightly, clearing the thoughts.

"Yes," she replied. "Let's go."

Thr  
Ey began their walk and headed northeast. Since Zuko was leading the way, she didn't question what he was doing. She just quietly followed.

"I'm sorry," Zuko said, taking Katara by surprise.

"For what?" she asked.

"For what went down between you and Aang," Zuko answered. "I know how it feels. Mai broke up with me one night. She was upset about something I did, and she just walked out on me. I haven't seen her since."

"How long ago was that?" Katara asked.

"About six months ago," Zuko replied.

"Wow! That's a long time."

"Yeah. At first it seemed like every day was a year, but after about a week of that, I regained myself and went on with my duties like I should."

Katara listened in silence. Would that happen with her and Aang. No. She couldn't let that happen. Even if they weren't meant to be together, she would still see him every now and then.

"Where are we going?" She asked when they reached a forest.

"I thought maybe you would want some time to clear your mind," he replied, motioning to the forest. "Juat keep going straight and you'll find an open clearing - a great place to meditate and relax. If you run into any trouble, just holler."

Katara smiled and walked into the dark woods. Even though it was a hot and clear day, Katara felt like she was in the South Pole, with the breeze blowing her hair, and the shade keeping it cool.

The South Pole. The place where Katara had first met Aang, after having an argument with Sokka. Katara sighed. It seemed like just yesterday she had met the young airbender: his big gray eyes looking up at her after his century slumber. His tattoos had impressed her - she had never seen anything like it before. He had been so carefree, and he had no idea about the War that had been going on. And then, in the end, he had defeated the former Fire Lord, Ozai, during Sozin's Comet.

Katara reached the clearing Zuko was talking about right as the sun was shining directly above her head. She sat down and let every part of her body relax. The sun beaming down on her, the birds chirping above, the wind blowing through the trees - it was a very peaceful environment. Before Katara knew it, she drifted into a nap. When she opened her eyes, she didn't see the clearing - instead she saw her mother again.

"Mom!" Katara exclaimed, tears of joy forming in her eyes as she ran up to her lost family member.

"I see you've made your choice," Kya commented.

"Yes, I have. But I have no idea what to do now," Katara admitted. "Should I go back to the Southern Water Tribe to find a mate?"

"Maybe your true love is closer than you think," Kya replied. But before Katara could say anything else, she began to fade away.

"No! Mom! Don't leave me!" Katara cried, but it was too late. When she woke up, she felt someone pushing her.

"Katara! Katara, wake up!"

Katara opened her eyes to see Zuko sitting next to her.

"Are you okay?" Zuko asked.

"Yeah. I'm fine," Katara replied.

"Come on. It'll be dark soon," the Fire Lord said. He held his hand out to help her up. Katara took his hand and stood up. She dusted herself off and followed Zuko back to the palace.

"I hope that helped you relax," Zuko said. "I know it helped me when Mai disappeared..."

Katara only nodded. But her mind was on what her mother had said. What had she meant when she said her true love may be closer than the young waterbender thought? She looked up at the firebender that had been her enemy for almost a whole year. After all the struggles, him capturing the Avatar, and everything else, was he really the one for her? She thought back to the Agni Kai against Azula during Sozin's Comet. Zuko had handled it well, but when he asked why she wasn't shooting any lightning, Katara decided to walk out in case he needed her help. But Azula had seen her and directed the lightning at her. Zuko jumped in front of the lightning, sacrificing his life for hers. After Katara chained Azula to the grate, she ran to heal Zuko, and they had shared the same pity for Azula.

"Zuko, I have a question for you: during Sozin's Comet two years ago, why did you sacrifice your life for me?" Katara ventured.

"Well, for one, I wasn't going to have the Avatar's girlfriend be killed at such a young age," Zuko responded.

"There was some other motive, Zuko," Katara said. "I can tell by the glint in your eyes." Katara finally knew what her mother meant. "Admit it, Zuko! You liked me then, and you still like me now!"

**Well, here's the fourth chapter! I've had this ready for a few days, but I was busy and couldn't get to posting it. I hope you enjoy. :D I've already started writing Ch. 5...not sure where I'm going with this, but I'll figure it out. xD**

**Future ideas: Thinking about making this the first book of a trilogy (the second being about Zuko and Katara going to find Ursa, Zuko's mother, and the third being about Zutara having children, and working through it). **

**Next time, on ****_'The Break Up'_****: The next chapter will be in Zuko's POV. What will he do with Katara (in a good way)? Plus a ball being held. And Katara finds something Aang left...**

**(Let me know if you like the idea of the trilogy/having a 'next time' section. Thought I'd try it out in this chapter. ;))**


	5. Chapter 5 - The Surprise

Zuko looked at Katara, surprised. He had never thought of it that way, but he realized her accusation could be true. He pictured the scene: Katara, a helpless waterbender. Well, she wasn't helpless, but there was nothing she could do to defend herself of lightning. He had watched the lightning's target. She had been standing there, frozen with fear. Zuko bravely jumped in front of the lightning, trying to redirect it. But when the danger of the lightning killing him became too great, he shot what he had up into the air, but it wasn't enough to keep him from being scarred. After the fight was over, Katara had come to heal it the best that she could. The pain had decreased enough for him to be able to thank her and take his place as Fire Lord.

"Zuko!" Katara shouted.

Zuko shook his head, clearing the thoughts. "Okay. I admit it. I did like you, but just as a friend, when I rescued you. It was after you healed me that I started falling for you."

Katara smiled. "To tell you the truth, I began liking you more, too," she whispered. Zuko looked into her ocean-blue eyes. Seeing tears stream down her face during Sozin's Comet made his heart swell. But then something pierced through his heart when he remembered Mai. She had shown up the day of his coronation to start their relationship back up. He had been grateful to see her alive and out of prison. But he hadn't felt the same about her as he did about Katara. Even when he and Mai kissed, there wasn't a spark.

Without any warning, he quickly kissed Katara. He could feel her be startled, but she quickly relaxed as the kiss continued. Zuko departed from the kiss and smiled at Katara. Katara smiled back and hugged him. During the hug, something shot at Zuko, barely missing Katara's back. It cut across his arm. He quickly departed from the hug, holding his arm and screaming in pain.

"Zuko!" Katara shouted. She fell onto her knees and removed his hand from the cut. He could tell by the expression on her face that it wasn't good. Zuko tried looking around to see who had done it, but he couldn't see anyone. His pain began to ease as some water came on the cut. Katara had water around her hands, and was pressing it up against his arm. She took a piece of her dress and put it around the cut. Though the cut wasn't hurting as much, he knew it had been too deep for Katara to completely heal at first.

"It'll take awhile for me to be able to completely heal this cut," Katara said, confirming his thoughts. "We better get you back to the palace before you get hurt anymore."

Zuko didn't argue. He stood up and walked back to the palace, having support from Katara. He realized that his hurt arm had been right around Katara's heart. Was whoever shot the knife trying to kill Katara? If so, what for? He looked at the beautiful waterbender. The only person he knew of that was Katara's enemy was his sister, Azula. But she would have shot fire or lightning, not something that could cut his arm really deep. So who was the supposed assassin?

The two benders reached the palace in time to see some guards searching around, looking for something or someone.

"Did you lose something?" Zuko asked. At the sound of his voice, the guards looked up, their face expressions turning grateful.

"Fire Lord Zuko!" they exclaimed. "We were looking for you! The meeting was supposed to start ten minutes ago!"

Zuko had completely forgot about the meeting. He was so caught up in his feelings for Katara that he didn't realize how much time had passed by.

"Oh, right. Tell my men that I'm sorry for the wait and I'll be with them in a few minutes," Zuko replied. The guards nodded, bowed, and walked away. The Fire Lord turned to Katara. "Please excuse me. I must go to the meeting." He began walking into the palace to go to his room. But he didn't get very far before Katara grabbed his arm.

"Can't I go?" she asked. Zuko opened his mouth to reply, but before he could, a maid came running down the stairs.

"Katara, I found something in the Avatar's room," the maid shot a glance at Zuko before turning back to Katara. "I think you should see it."

Katara looked at Zuko, sad that she couldn't go to the meeting with him. Zuko grabbed her shoulders and pulled her close to him.

"I'll be out shortly. And when I do, I have something very special planned," he told her, and kissed her forehead. Before Katara could say anything else, he walked up the stairs to his room. On the way there, he passed Katara's room. Why was it that she slept so far away? He wished she could be closer to his room. He decided he would talk to someone about that after the meeting. He opened his bedroom door and picked up his robe that he had left on the bed. He tried putting it on without any problems, but as he put his left arm through the sleeve, pain from the cut ran up his body. He ignored it and put the rest of his robe on without any problems. He wrapped his hair up into a topknot, tied it in place, and put the Fire Lord piece through it. Without any delay, he walked formally to the meeting room. When he arrived, all the generals, lieutenants, and other members of the council bowed down. He walked up onto the stage, created a fire around him, and sat down on the throne.

"Fire Lord Zuko, there is something we must talk about," his high general announced. "Princess Azula. It has been two years since she was put in the mental facility, and the employees there say she's more than ready to be released."

"I will pay her a visit tomorrow. Don't do anything without my permission," Zuko ordered. The general nodded with respect and at back down. Another general stood up to give his report, under Zuko's command.

"Ever since you became Fire Lord, the nations have, for the most part, been at peace. There hasn't been much sign of a struggle around here, although we have had reports from near the Suhangi forest about people getting cut from out of nowhere." Zuko remembered the cut on his arm, and wondered if this mysterious action was aimed for someone in particular. But who?

The general had sat down. "Are there any other reports?" Zuko asked. All the members shook their heads, and Zuko closed the meeting. After everyone had left, Zuko waited a few extra minutes on his throne, in case anyone had some news to report. When no one came, Zuko quenched all the flames around the stage and walked out of the room. He quietly closed the door, hoping not to alert Katara of the finished meeting. He wanted to prepare something special for her - something to show how much she meant to him. He ran upstairs as fast as he could in the heavy robe. He quietly walked by Aang's room, where he heard the maid talking to Katara. He thought maybe he should listen to it, but he decided against it. He didn't want someone to catch him and think up bad explanations about it. It would ruin his reputation. He walked into his room, grabbed a red leather strip and a blue charm. He carved the Fire Nation insignia into it, and made a crescent moon on the left side. He attached the charm to the leather, and added a little message on the back of the charm. He changed into a nice suit, put the necklace in his pocket, and walked out of the room. He walked up to Katara's room and knocked on the door.

"Come in," a soft voice called. Zuko could tell by her tone that she had been crying.

"Katara..." Zuko began, but stopped when he saw what Katara was holding - it was a scroll with a yellow and blue ribbon.

"Aang left this in his room," Katara began, forcing out each of the words. "Did I do the right thing, breaking up with him so soon?"

Zuko looked into the waterbender's eyes. They were deep blue pools, enlarged and slightly red from her crying. He sat on the bed next to her, hugging her as tight as he could while not hurting her.

"That question can only be answered by you," Zuko stated. "Come on. It's time for your surprise." He looked at her clotches, now wet from her tears. "You might want to change into a longer dress. I'll be waiting downstairs for you." Katara only nodded, not looking at him. He left the room and walked down the stairs, his uncle meeting him at the bottom.

"The preparations are all ready for tonight," Iroh said. "Is she ready?"

"Almost," Zuko responded. He decided not to tell his uncle that Aang's message, whatever it was, had upset Katara. He didn't need to: Katara had come walking down the stairs in a short-sleeved dress that went down a little past her knees. Zuko looked up at her with admiration. She looked beautiful in that dress - she looked beautiful in anything she wore. When the master waterbender reached the bottom of the stairs, she looked up at Zuko, no sign of her previous sadness.

"So, what's the big surprise?" she asked. Zuko held out his arm for her, and Katara wrapped her arm around his. Zuko felt his heart beat faster at her touch. He tried to hide his feelings, even though everyone knew about it. He escorted the teenager to the ballroom. The room was filled with many things of the Water Tribe and the Fire Nation.  
"Zuko, what is this?" she whispered. Zuko didn't answer. Instead, he turned to the waterbender, stretching out his hand. The music began to play, and he asked, "Shall we?" Katara grabbed his left hand with her right, resting her left hand on his right shoulder. Zuko put his free hand on her waist, and the two began gracefully dancing. He spun her out a few times, and threw her up into the air once. While she was up in the air, he watched her spin with much grace and poise. When the music was just about to end, Zuko leaned in, preparing to kiss her. Before his lips met hers, she fell onto the wood floor.

"Are you okay?" Zuko asked, helping Katara up.

"I'm fine," Katara stated, standing up. Zuko went on with the next surprise that night.

"Katara," he began. "We've been through some good and bad times together, and I know you just broke up with Aang, and I know how it feels, but I want our adventures to continue, and not just as friends." He bent down onto one knee, getting the necklace from out of his pocket. "Katara of the Southern Water Tribe, will you marry me?"

**Well, here's the new chapter. :) I meant to post this yesterday, but forgot...Oh well. Enjoy! And good luck trying to guess Katara's answer. ;) I'm going to go back to Aang in the next chapter. I feel like I'm going too fast here...**

Next time on_ 'The Break-Up'_: Aang visits Toph in Gaoling, and spends a few days with her. But what will happen when he does? Tune in next time!


	6. Chapter 6 - Visiting the Beifongs

/Aang/

I rode on Appa's head nonstop for two days, my mind still thinking about Katara. I decided to go to Toph since she was the only other girl, besides Suki, from the original Team Avatar. I wasn't thinking about having a relationahip with anyone right now - I just wanted some advice from the old group, and Sokka wouldn't be much help. I remembered the advice I had received from my former girlfriend's brother while visiting Aunt Wu. Acting aloof wasn't entirely helpful, and it seemed weird. Maybe Toph or her parents could help me with my situation.

It was almost noon when I reached Gaoling. I knew Toph's house as if I had just been there yesterday. It was then that I realized it had been almost 3 years since I first met the young earthbender. I couldn't believe it. It felt like just yesterday that everyone was enjoying a day at the Jasmine Dragon after the War was over.

I reached the Beifongs' house an hour later. I brushed the dust and dirt off my clothes, trying to make myself look presentable in the rich family's sight. I hid Appa behind their back walls. I wasn't sure how Toph's parents would handle the fact that I was visiting them after being forbidden from it 2 1/2 years ago. I walked up to the door. A servant opened it and looked at me. I recognized the servant as being the same one that had greeted Katara, Sokka, and me the first time.

"Ah, young Avatar," he said, bowing respectfully. "Welcome. Please excuse me for a minute."

I watched the man go, and patiently waited for the servant to come back.

/Toph/

We had been talking with Master Yu about earthbending lessons. How he had escaped the metal cage I'll never know, and why we're still talking about lessons I may never know. I was already a master earthbender, and not just that, but I had invented metalbending, something no one had been able to do before.

"I would still like her to learn the basics," my father was saying. I sighed. He may have finally accepted me back into the family as who I was, but he would never end his overly-protective attitude around me.

"Well, Mr. Beifong, she is capable of much more -" Master Yu began, but my dad cut him off.

"I will not allow for my daughter to get hurt," he retorted. "I would like to wait until she is an adult before she does any advanced techniques."

"But Dad!" I exclaimed.

"That's final!" He snapped. I crossed my arms and leaned back in my chair. This wasn't fair! Why couldn't he see I was capable of so much more? Before anyone could say anything else, our main servant walked into the room.

"Sir, you have a visitor," he said.

"Really? Who?" My father asked.

"The Avatar, sir," the servant replied. Aang! What was he doing here? Wasn't he supposed to be with Katara, fixing up the Fire Nation's damage?

"Alright. Bring him in," my father replied. I smiled a little, glad that he was allowing the airbender to come inside, especially after what happened the day when he first visited us.

"Hello, young Avatar," my mother greeted when he had walked into the room.

"Hello, Mr. and Mrs. Beifong," he replied, bowing to both my parents. I could tell he had looked at me for a brief second before turning his gaze back to my parents.

"What brings you here, young Avatar?" my father asked.

"Well, I just had some troubles with a relationship, and I thought I'd come here for a little while to help with fixing up things while trying to forget about the complications," Aang replied. So /that's/ why he seemed so down. His long relationship with Katara had just ended.

"Well, you're welcome to stay here as long as you want," my mother replied.

"Yes. Morin, will you please show the Avatar to his room?" My father asked.

"I could!" I exclaimed before Morin could say anything. I was eager to learn about what Aang had been doing for the past two years, and what had happened between him and Katara. It had seemed like they would never break up for any reason.

I could sense my parents give each other a worried look, which annoyed me even more. Ever since I returned, they had made sure that someone went with me so I didn't run into something and hurt myself. I tried telling them that I could see with my feet in a way that no one except Aang knew, but they thought I was just making it all up.

"Alright. But the Avatar must be right by you," my father commanded. I rolled my eyes, but didn'tsay anything else.

"Come on, Twinkletoes," I said, using my hand to tell him to follow me. When my parents were out of earshot, I decided to start the conversation.

"So, what exactly happened between you and Sugar Queen?"

Aang looked at me, then at the ground. "I don't know. She said something about not having feelings for me anymore. We had broke up a few times before, but then this last time she said we're not ever being a possibility again."

"Wow. That must be hard. Who's she with now?"

"I don't know. We just broke up a few days ago. I left only a few hours after we did. But right now she's staying in the Fire Nation."

I nodded. I felt the same way when Suki came back, both before we crossed the Serpent's Pass, and after Sokka and Zuko's 'fishing trip'. I was happy for Sokka, but I missed all the moments we had together.

"So, how has the reparis come along?" I asked, changing the subject.

"Eh, okay. Some places have been a little harder than others, like Kyoshi Island, but it's been going okay. It'll be a little harder without Katara with me, but I'll just have to get used to it, I guess." He looked at me. "How has life been now that you're back with your family?"

"Hard, and boring," I replied. "My parents still don't understand. I've tried telling them that I can handle myself, but they still have guards following me around and watching me. Master Yu knows what I'm capable of, but my father won't listen. He still thinks I shouldn't go above the basic forms."

"They do know about how you helped in the war and the fact you invented metalbending, don't they?" Aang asked.

"Sort of. I told them about it, but they think I made it all up. They think you just kidnapped me and, with your Avatar powers, somehow convinced me that I did all those things when I really didn't." I explained.

"That's crazy! I would never do something like that!" Aang exclaimed.

"I know. And I tried telling them that, but they still don't believe me," I sighed. We turned around one last corner and I walked into the closest room. "Here you go. Make yourself comfortable. We'll be having dinner shortly." I walked by him, but not without saying "I'm sorry about you and Katara", and punching him in the arm. With that, I walked back down to where Master Yu and my parents were.

/Aang/

I watched Toph walk away, pain shooting up my arm from Toph's affectionate hit. I pulled out my bison whistle and blew through it. Appa came only a few minutes later. I ran up and airbended myself up onto the saddle, grabbing my bags. I decided to do one bag at a time, since it would most likely be easier that way. I grabbed the largest one and jumped back into my room. I unloaded the clothes, sorted them out, and put them away. It seemed so weird doing it - Katara had done it for me for so long now, it had felt like I didn't ever have to do it. I finished with the bags and quietly walked over to the living room. I didn't want to intrude, but I felt like it was my duty as my Avatar to fix the problem. I knew Toph would be able to sense my presence, but I didn't care.

"Toph is still too young to learn more advanced moves!" Her father was saying. "She must wait until she is at least eighteen before going above the basics!"

"Dad!" Toph began, but her father wouldn't listen.

"Toph, this is for your own good!" Mr. Beifong said.

"Why won't you listen to me?" She cried. "I can handle myself, and I can do so many advanced moves! I even invented metalbending!"

"Toph, we've been through this before! The Avatar did something to you to make you think that!" I couldn't hid myself any longer. I walked into the room and stood next to Toph.

"You has ever heard of an Avatar doing such a thing?" I asked. "I certainly haven't, and I'm the Avatar!"

"Who's ever heard of an Avatar kidnapping a blind, helpless, tiny, and fragile earthbender?" Mr. Beifong retorted.

"I didn't kidnap her! She lied to us and said you changed your mind and let her come along!" I argued.

"Well, whatever the case was, no one has ever heard of metalbending!" Mr. Beifong exclaimed. "Now, either leave this room right now, or I will have my guards send you away!"

I sighed and walked out of the room. There had to be some way that I could convince Toph's parents that she wasn't lying. Then an idea hit me: I could bring something metal for Toph, and have her bend it. Then they would believe her. I ran into My room and grabbed the room key. I didn't know why the doors had locks on them, but I didn't care. I put it in my pocket and walked out of the room into the kitchen. I hid behind the corner into the kitchen, waiting for the Beifongs and Toph's teacher to come into the room. I used my seismic sense to tell when they did, so they didn't come by surprise.

As the family and teacher walked into the room, I counted each person. One, two, three... Where was Toph? I felt someone punch my arm, and I turned to see the master earthbender.

"Thanks for trying to help me," she whispered before walking into the kitchen. I followed her, sitting across the table from her so I could secretly send the key over to her.

"It's always a pleasure to have guests in our home," Mrs. Beifong commented as I sat down.

"If only they weren't so nosy," Mr. Beifong grumbled.

"Lao!" Mrs. Beifong exclaimed. "I think it's the Avatar's duty to know what's going on."

"Oh, and I suppose you think he made the right choice with taking our daughter away from us?"

"I told you a long time ago: I ran away. My choice, not his!" Toph exclaimed.

"Yeah! I have never kidnapped a person in my entire life!" I responded. While I spoke to her father, I took the key out of my pocket and sent it over to her using a little earthbending.

/Toph/

I felt something hit my foot, and could tell by its texture that it was something metal. I picked it up with a small rock and took it into my hands. Time to end this argument once and for all!

"Hey! Check this out!" I exclaimed, and began to bend the key into a bracelet, and then some shapes, and back into a key. I could tell my mom was staring at the key in shock and amazement, but my dad still wasn't convinced.

"Give the key to Master Yu," he commanded. I obeyed and handed it to my teacher, who was sitting right next to me. I watched as he tried to do the same thing, but failed. I smirked, knowing I had won the fight.

"Alright. I believe you now, Toph. I'm sorry," my dad apologized.

I nodded, accepting his apology, and sent the key back to Aang. I could tell he had picked it up, but I didn't know which bending he used.

"So, soes that mean I don't have to take any more earthbending lessons?" I asked.

"What do you think, Poppy?" my father asked.

"I think she's proved that she is a master already. I only wish we had seen it sooner," she muttered.

"Alright. Thank you for your time, Master Yu, but I think she's fine for now," my father announced. I grinned. Thanks to Twinkletoes, I had earned my parents' faith. She kicked a small bit of earth over to Aang, making him jump a little from the pain. I could feel his eyes staring at me, and I gave him a small smile and nod of gratitude.

We all ate dinner peacefully, and afterwards Master Yu thanked my parents for the meal and left.  
My father and mother excused themselves from the table and let, leaving me and Aang alone.

"Thank you, Aang," I said. "Without you, I may never have received their acceptance, and know I was telling the truth. I can't believe I didn't think of that."

"Speaking of which, where's your metal bracelet?" The airbender asked. I looked down at the ground.

"My parents took it away from me only a week after I returned," I responded. "They thought it was hurting their 'fragile little girl'."

"Why don't you go get it now, since they know you can handle it?" The Avatar responded.

"I guess I could," I shrugged. I did miss it, but I didn't want to intrude on their thing just for a bracelet.

"Do you want to come?" He asked. I had shut off anything when I had thought about the bracelet that I didn't hear what Aang had said.

"What?" I asked.

"Do you want to come help me fix up Ba Sing Se?" He asked. "I still need to fix up what I made when I failed."

He still blamed himself for the fall of Ba Sing Se. I had heard the story many times from Sugar Queen: they had started out even - Zuko and Azula against Aang and Katara. But just as they were about to get the upperhand, some Dai Li agents came around and greatly outnumbered them. Aang had formed a crystal tent and entered the Avatar State. But before he could do anything, Azula had struck him down with lightning. Iroh had come along to help the waterbender and Avatar escape, but Ba Sing Se had still fallen.

"Eh, I guess so. It'll be fun to work together again," I replied. Then I punched him in the arm hard, making him fall to the ground.

"What was that for?" He cried.

"For fun," I replied, smirking. He got up and sent a gust of wind at me, making me nearly fall, only saving myself by covering some earth around my feet. We both laughed, and I left the room to go pack my things. I figured Aang would want some company, considering Sugar Queen was in the Fire Nation right now. After packing my things, I changed into my pajamas and climbed into bed.

**There's the sixth chapter. :D It was much easier to write this chapter than the previous ones with Zuko and Katara. Every time I write about them, I get some feeling in my stomach to just have them get together. Gah! :P Anyways, I hope you enjoyed this chapter. Please R&R, and stay tuned for the next chapter. :D (Also: I just realized that I had originally set this for a year after A:TLA, but I forgot and thought it was two years, so from now on, it'll be two. Sorry for any confusion.)**

Next time on '_The Break-Up'_: Katara makes her decision. After a week has passed by, she thinks about whether or not to leave and start a new life somewhere else. What will it be? Tune in next time to find out!


	7. Just An Author's Note

Hello, fellow readers! I know most of you don't like these in stories, but I felt like I had to do one. Anyways, I'm sorry for the delay in my latest chapter. I'm trying to get over all my overwhelming feelings to just have Zuko and Katara to get together right away - I want the story to progress a little first. I'll try to have the next chapter up by the end of this month, if time permits. Once again, sorry for the delay.


	8. Chapter 7

Katara looked at the betrothal necklace, ready to accept. But then something struck her: Aang's note.  
'Dear Katara,' it read, 'I'm sorry about everything. I hope you find a man better than me to complete you, but please remember me.

Aang'

She looked away from the Fire Lord's golden eyes. "I'm sorry. I'm just confused right now." She said. She wasn't going to lie: the kiss was sweet and, well, amazing. But she didn't think that she could handle joining with Zuko after she just broke up with Aang. She finally had the courage to look into Zuko's eyes. She could tell he was disappointed, and she felt guilty.

"Okay. I understand," he responded, putting the necklace away. "If you change your mind, just let me know." He planted a quick kiss on her cheek before leaving the room. She formally walked out of the ballroom, slightly bowing to Iroh as she passed by and ran up to her room. Amiri was sitting on her bed, folding some of the clothes.

"Ah, Master Katara. How did the surprise go?" the maid asked.

"Okay. We had a dance, and then Zuko asked to marry me." She broke off, not wanting to say anything else.

"You didn't accept it, did you?" Amiri asked. Katara shook her head.

"I just broke up with Aang! I'm not going to just turn away from him after only a day!" She exclaimed.

"I'm not saying you made the wrong choice," the maid responded. "But there's something else that influenced your decision. It was the note, wasn't it?"

Katara nodded. "I feel so guilty now. The look on his face when he flew away this morning almost tore my heart out. He was so carefree and loving, and I just let it go." She began to cry.

"Katara! Please don't cry. It's not wrong to break up with someone if you don't have feelings for him," Amiri soothed. "I think you made the right choice, breaking up with him. Don't get me wrong, he is carefree and loving, but you two are still young, and there are many other people around the world."

"You're right, Amiri," the master waterbender said. "Thank you. I'm going to go eat dinner now."

"You're welcome, Katara," Amiri said as Katara walked out of the room. She quietly walked down the stairs, and formally walked into the dining room. Iroh was sitting there, along with Zuko. Katara could tell he was trying very hard to hide his disappointment in her disapproval. She sat sown to his right, just like before, and nodded her head in respect too the two royal firebenders. After dinner, she got up from the table, thanked everyone for the food, and walked up to her room. She took out her top knot and hair loopies and changed into her traditional Water Tribe outfit. She climbed into bed and fell into an uncomfortable sleep.

A week had passed since the ball, and Zuko had tried in many different ways to show his affection for Katara. But Katara hadn't said anything about it. She didn't want to talk about it to anyone except Amiri. She knew she had only asked for a week of staying with them, but seeing as how Zuko had his servants move her stuff to a room closer to his, he wouldn't mind having her stay longer, and neither would Iroh, Amiri, or any of the other people in the palace.

She began packing her clothes. She didn't know where she was going, but she didn't know if she could handle being around the romantic Zuko. It seemed so weird for him to be this way. She hadn't seen him as a hothead since she came to the palace, and she missed that side of him. In fact, she would much rather prefer that than his romancing.

"Katara?" She heard a voice call. She knew this wasn't going to be easy. She turned to the Fire Lord and bowed.

"Yes, Fire Lord Zuko?" she asked.

"What are you doing?" He asked.

"Leaving. My week is up," Katara replied, not looking into his eyes.

"You don't have to leave right away," the Fire Lord said. "Please stay, at least for breakfast."

Katara couldn't argue with that. She agreed and finished packing her clothes before walking down to breakfast.

"Good morning, Katara," a servant greeted, bowing to the waterbender. Katara bowed slightly to the servant as well and walked into the dining area. Iroh and Zuko were, as always, already sitting down at the table in their normal seats.

"Good morning, Master Katara. My nephew tells me you're leaving today. Where are you going, exactly?" The general asked. Katara still didn't know where she was going, but she didn't want to interfere with Zuko or Aang, so she would have to go to either the Southern or Northern Water Tribe, or at least somewhere close to there.

"Somewhere cold," she replied. She began eating her food, not wanting to talk about her trip. She didn't even know how she was going to get anywhere without Aang. Not using Appa would be weird. But she had survived without using Appa for fourteen years - she would be able to handle it now.

"Well, good luck with your adventures. We hope to see you again soon," Iroh replied.

"Thank you, General Iroh," the waterbender said, dipping her head with respect. She finished her meal, excused herself from the table, and went up to the room. She changed back into her blue water tribe outfit and put her hair into a half bun, the other half lying straight, and attached her hair loopies together through the bun. She grabbed her bag, and walked out of the room, ready to leave. Before she could go downstairs, however, a voice called her name.

"Katara!" It was Amiri! Katara turned around to see the maid running up to her. "I heard you were leaving. You didn't think you could leave without saying goodbye, did you?" The maid asked, smiling. Katara smiled back, dropping her bag to hug the maid.

"Thanks for everything, Amiri," she said. "You've been a big help."

"You're welcome. If you ever need anything, don't be afraid to come back and ask." Katara nodded, promising she would. She grabbed her bag and ran down the stairs. A servant opened the doors to the palace. Katara bowed, thanked him, and left. She walked to the edge of the country. She decided to leave on a ferry, but before she could get on the boat, a voice came from behind.

"Katara! Wait!" Katara sighed. She turned to see Zuko running up to her. "Please, just hear me out. I know you want to leave, but I want to know why. Why are you leaving? And why didn't you accept my request to get married?"

Katara looked at the Fire Lord, and answered, "I'm just confused right now. I want to go somewhere where I can have some peace, and for more than just one afternoon. And I didn't accept your request because of this." She pulled Aang's note out of her pocket and gave it to Zuko to read it. The firebender took the note and unfolded it to read it.

"I understand," Zuko said. "Good luck on your trip, then. I hope to see you again soon."

Katara nodded and hugged the Fire Lord. He had changed into his old outfit, with his hair down. It had grown a little bit, but it was nice. She brushed her fingers through it as she broke the embrace. She smiled at him before turning to grab her bag and boarding the ship. It began to move a few minutes after she got on, but she couldn't take her eyes off of Zuko as she traveled away from him.

**A/N: Okay. There you have it. Sorry it took me a long time to get this one out. School got busy, and then I got sick, and all that. So, sorry. Also, I tried figuring out a good way to keep Katara in the palace, but I couldn't, so that's the ending that I came up with. Sorry! Hopefully the future chapters will be better. :) **


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